It’s a new year, and New York City has plenty of food-focused events to start 2018 off with some seriously good eats. From wine dinners and ice cream parties to ’90s throwback brunches, we’ve rounded up this month’s can’t-miss happenings for all of the voracious eaters out there. So go on, get your calendars marked and your appetites ready.
Here are the top food events in New York for January 2018:
Monday, January 15: Boris & Horton Opens In The East Village
Forget about cat cafés because there’s about to be a new player in town: Boris & Horton, NYC’s first-ever dog café. To be clear, you have to bring your own dog, but it’s still exciting to enjoy a caffeinated beverage in a place where all pooches are welcome. Set for a mid-month soft opening and an official launch at the end of January, Boris & Horton invites guests to grab a City of Saints coffee and a Bien Cuit pastry with their pups in tow. The café will also host adoption events throughout the year and will also house a retail shop, stocked with toys and treats for your best canine friend.
Saturday, January 20: Clueless Brunch at 5th & Mad
If your idea of an amazing brunch includes booze and a healthy dose of ’90s nostalgia, then Midtown eatery 5th & Mad has just the event for you. On January 20, they’ll host a Clueless-themed brunch party, replete with games, a costume contest, themed cocktails (like The Dionne and The Luke Perry) and, of course, a continuous screening of the classic film. 5th & Mad will offer a full brunch menu for the duration of the event, so you’ll be able to soak up the bottomless prosecco with a restorative helping of bacon and eggs. Tickets start at $40, and they’re available for purchase here.
Monday, January 22: Dante Hosts The Martini Hour at Gramercy Tavern
From January 22 through January 26, the cocktail wizards at Dante will set up shop at Gramercy Tavern Bar for a residency dedicated entirely to the martini—welcome to The Martini Hour. From 4 to 7 p.m., they’ll mix up creative martini variations, like the Olive Oil Martini (made with olive oil-washed vodka, olive vermouth, olive bitters, olive mist and house-cured olives) and the Rose Petal Martini (that’s with Hendrick’s gin, Manzanilla sherry, lychee, Peychaud’s bitters, saline and rosewater). If you prefer a traditional version, the Dante team will also offer their Tableside Martini Service, with enough liquor to make classic gin martinis for parties of six. If all the martini sampling whets your appetite, you’ll be able to order bites off of the Gramercy Tavern Bar menu, with sumptuous options like fried celery root, beef frittatas with blue cheese and lobster with balsamic caviar.
Monday, January 22: NYC Restaurant Week
Every January, NYC welcomes a hallowed foodie tradition: Winter Restaurant Week. From January 22 through February 9, diners in search of an excellent three-course meal can book a table at an array of popular NYC restaurants, where a prix-fixe lunch can be devoured for just $29, while dinners will go for $42. Almost 400 restaurants will participate this year, including hot spots like Noreetuh, Augustine, Empellon Taqueria, and Momofuku Nishi.
Tuesday, January 23: Burns Supper at Highlands
Robert Burns Night, the annual event celebrating the life and works of Scotland’s national poet, takes place on January 25. Burns Night is celebrated by a week-long stretch of Scottish festivities, with special dinners scheduled at venues throughout Manhattan. Among the finest examples is the Burns Supper at Highlands NYC, a quaint Scot bar in Greenwich Village. On January 23 and 24, Highlands will host two Burns Supper seatings, the first at 6 p.m. followed by the second at 8:30 p.m. A $60 ticket gets you a three-course meal of Scottish specialties, including whisky bread with Scotch butter, haggis with “neeps & tatties” (AKA turnips and potatoes) and sticky toffee pudding.
Wednesday, January 24: Antica Terra Dinner at Loring Place
On January 24, Dan Kluger’s New American restaurant in the Village will welcome Maggie Harrison, a top winemaker from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. At this one-night-only event, Harrison will offer up wines from her Antica Terra line while Kluger serves a four-course menu, specially designed to highlight the unique character of each varietal. For $225 you can snag a spot at this exclusive dinner, simply email the Loring Place events department to secure your seat.
Thursday, January 25: Adult Ice Cream Social at Ample Hills Creamery
Who says that ice cream socials are just for kids? Definitely not the folks at Ample Hills. That’s why they’re launching an Adult Ice Cream Social at their Gowanus location on January 25, where attendees can make their own sweet treat with Ample Hills’ churning bicycle (yes, you churn ice cream with the bike pedals). Once you’re done making your own ice cream, Ample Hills will challenge you to a round of dessert-themed trivia. You’ll then be rewarded by a fully-loaded brownie bar, so you can make the sundae of your dreams. Tickets for the ice cream social costs $35 and includes a pizza dinner.
If you’d like to pair your ice cream with a boozy libation, Ample Hills is instituting a BYOB policy for the event. It is an “adult” ice cream social, after all.
Thursday, January 25: Live Fire Feast at Pig Beach
Most people associate live-fire cooking with summertime bonfires and campsite roasts. But the enterprising minds behind Pig Beach in Gowanus see no reason to confine those delicious open-flame flavors to warmer seasons. That’s why they’re hosting a full-scale feast on January 25, with all dishes prepared over a live fire. Executive Chef Jeff Michner will whip up hearty courses like smoked suckling-pig porchetta and 28-day-aged tomahawk beef rib. Plus, Pig Beach will pair the dishes with large-format wines. A $250 ticket gets you access to a pre-dinner cocktail hour, a four-course meal cooked over open flame, access to the wine pairings and a gift bag loaded with Pig Beach swag. Tickets can be purchased here.
